Damsel in Distress?
by SuperMastour
Summary: It is Paladin's Don Juan's time to shine! Watch as the Sun Spirian paladin saves the females that are in the Champion's roster with honor and valor, and with the promise of some favors. Fernando is the knight in shining armor for these ladies, but will each predicament bring him closer to his end? New Chapter! FINISHED!
1. Chapter 1

**Damsel in Distress?  
**

" **Saving Cassie"**

* * *

Our glorious paladin of Sun Spire ventured into a swampy wooded area, whole acres filled with marsh grass, weeping willows, vines, and mud flats.

The orchestra of frogs and crickets was playing as the sun was starting to set, a sign that perhaps the knight should start setting up camp.

However, he could not.

Nearby, a group of men armed with unknown weapons marched in, their faces filled with grim determination and fury.

"What is going on here?" Fernando murmured, then dismounted his white steed and jogged on over to the posse.  
"Amigos!" he called out, causing the men to turn rapidly.

The group, which was revealed to be some tribal warriors, hollered and yelled, then aimed their spears and bows at the knight.

"Dios mio!" Fernando gasped as he raised his shield to block the incoming volley, "Take this!" he activated his lance to drive them back.

The tribesmen yelled as they saw the fire shoot forth, then trembled at the awesome weapon and ran off into the woods.

The knight stood surprised.  
"Who were those men?" he murmured and then followed the general area they entered.

Of course, this was going to be like searching for a foxkin in a barn. Thanks to his large shield and the glare from the fire, Fernando had not seen where the men had fled to. All the information he had right now was brief shadows and glimpses of figures that he thought had fled into this brush.

All that he had to go on was trails in the marsh grass.

"What could those men have been looking for?" Fernando said to himself as he stepped over a root, "They looked like a group of primitive hunters."

He heard whooping in the air, and clicking, and whistling.

Suddenly there was a scream, and several men also yelled over that shriek.

The knight raised his lance and tried to pinpoint the direction of the sounds, then marched onward as he felt he had struck the right position.

Plowing through marsh and brush, Fernando charged onward, only to fall into a mire.  
Thanks to his robust armor, it was only natural for him to be imprisoned by the bog.  
"Agh!" the knight groaned as he stood up, then felt his legs start to sink into the mud, "Oh Dios mio..." he grumbled and tried to raise his left foot.

However, he was faced with a troubling sight.  
All around the bog were skeletons hung around the chest by vines, all of them in positions of pain and terror.

"What in the sun's rays?" Fernando looked up and saw around 10 of these skeletons, human, elf, and dwarf, "What is going on her-" he heard faint hissing.

Suddenly, a horde of snakes started to come out of the brush and slither all across the bog, aiming straight towards the knight.

"Oh no..." Fernando shook his head and then grabbed his lance, "Back!" he activated it and sent out a stream of fire, which drove back the front portion of the snakes, "Back I say!"

The knight tried his best to spin around in order to launch fire at the snakes on his flanks and on his back, "Alejaos!"

The snakes were incessant and hissed even louder as they returned to strike back.

Fernado yelled as he tried to get out of the bog, but then saw a most serious sight.

The posse from before had passed a few meters away from him holding up a woman, bound and gagged, as a prize.

"Hey!" the knight yelled, catching the attention of the hunters.

The hunters stopped and laughed at him, then muttered something in their language.

Fernado growled, "Leave that woman alone!" he felt his strength rising, then charged forward with enough strength to plow through the mud and get on dry land, "HRAHH!" he tackled two of the hunters and sent them flying into a tree.

The hunters yelled and grabbed their spears, then threw it at the knight, only to prove ineffective.

The knight saw as the hunters threw the woman into the marsh and then ran for it, afraid of this magical invader that could bypass all their weapons and breath a mysterious element that was bright and hot.

"Ha... Ha..." Fernando panted, then turned to the screaming woman as she was being surrounded by snakes, "Oh no!" he cried out and charged into the marsh, stepping over mud and snakes as he lowered his hands and swept the woman up in his arms.  
"Hrah!" the knight gave a final effort and escaped from the marsh.

The woman looked up.

"Worry not, my lady!" Fernando yelled and removed the vines and the sackloth, "Are you ok?" he asked and then saw her previously covered face.

A young red head, glowing white skin, red lips that could be seen in the darkness.

Fernando gasped and then instinctively pulled out a rose.  
"My lady, please!" he stood up and bowed, "For you..." he put on a smile as he handed her the flower, "I am Sir Fernando Hernando Servando Fulano Perengano y Zutano!"

The woman stood up and bowed accordingly.  
"Thank you, Sir Fernando." she smiled and grabbed the rose, "I don't know what I would have done without you. I am Cassie."

Fernando nodded, "Worry not, Cassandra. Fernando has come to your aid." he nodded and extended his arm, "If it does not trouble my lady, shall I escort her out?" he pointed to a clearing in the woods.

"I actually have to gather my belongings at my camp." Cassie sighed, "I was asleep when those savages captured me... Heavens know what they were going to do to me had you not saved me." she said and then looked up to the canopy.

"What is a small and frail woman like you doing here, though?" Fernando asked as he escorted her back to her camp.

Cassie grumbled, "I am not small and frail..." she pouted.

Fernando looked down on her, "From my point of view."

Cassie turned to look up at the knight, "Of course... you're a knight." she chuckled, "All knights have to be tall and powerful."

Fernando grinned and extended his arm.

"Well can this tall and powerful knight have a kiss for his service?" he leaned over and looked at her.

"Very wel-"

"FOOLS!" a voice yelled, causing the two to turn and face another tribesman.

However, this particular tribal warrior was more decorated than the previous brutes and clad in several potions and arcane artifacts.

A more astounding sight was the cobra in his hand, glaring at the two of them.

"Stand back!" Fernando raised his lance, "These primitive heathens are easily frightened by my arsenal!" he chuckled and launched a stream of fire at the threat.

Unfortunately the man stood still, defiant as the fire stopped only a meter away from his face.  
"Hmph."

Fernando chuckled and stopped his attack, "Huh!?" he exclaimed.

"I am quite accustomed to your Western Technologies, white man." the man chuckled, "I know both of fire and of steel, and rest assured that none of them strike fear into my heart." he stepped down from the stump he was standing on.  
"You may have frightened others of my people. But I, Mal'Damba, fear no man. I am the Shaman of the Serpent Swamp and I will protect my realm..." he cackled.

"Stand back, Cassiopeia!" the knight stepped in front of the red head, "A woman should not get herself in danger!" he glared at the shaman.

Mal'Damba rattled his mask and then threw his serpent.

"HISSS!"

"DWAH!" Fernando was taken back by the move and sent into a shock.

"Watch out!" Cassie grabbed the snake and crushed its head before it latched on to Fernando, "Are you ok-"

"Henyahenyahenya!" the shaman chanted, and conjured up another cobra, "You will perish tonight!" he made the cobra spit forth an acidic liquid.

Fernando groaned and blocked it with his armor, "What?" he turned to see his armor was melting, "What is this sorcery!?" he turned to the shaman.

"The W'eb Cobra is the most poisonous snake in the entire Realm." Mal'Damba informed and looked at Cassie, "And you will see!" he launched it at the woman.

"No!" the knight intervened and took the blow, "ARGH!" he groaned as the serpent latched on his back and its poison started to burn through his steel, "Cassandra! Run!" he called out and turned to the shaman. "RAHHH!" he charged.

"AHHHHH!" Mal'Damba yelled when he was struck and sent crashing into a tree.

"You will not hurt my lady!" Fernando roared and then struck the man with fire, "AGHH!" he stopped when the serpent had bored through his armor.

"Fernando!" Cassie gasped and ran to the knight, "HYAH!" she grabbed the serpent by the tail and threw it into the marsh.

"You will suffocate!" Mal'Damba yelled and threw a gourd, which burst and let out a noxious gas that started to affect Cassie.

"Cah! Cah!" the woman coughed and gagged as she tried to search for fresh air.

"Hahahaa..." the shaman chuckled as he stepped into the smoke, the fires that tormented him clearing away as he did so, "Time for both of you to di-"

"HRAH!" Fernando appeared and rammed the witch doctor into another tree, "BEGONE!" he raised his mighty once more and ejected a stream of fire.

 **00000000**

"No man... can kill me..." Mal'Damba murmured as he spirited away from the fight, never to be seen again.

Fernando groaned as he held his back, "Deus Vult." he got on his knees and looked up to the night sky, "I have taught the heathen his lesson. He has faced the judgment through fire!"

A soft cough was heard.

The knight turned and saw Cassie on the ground.  
"No! Casio!" he said and walked over to her, "Cassandra, are you alright?" he asked and picked her up in his arms.

Cassie murmured, then opened her eyes.

"I have yet to lose a lady in distress!" Fernando grinned, "You are no exception!" he looked at her.

"Thank you, Fernando." Cassie smiled and grabbed his chin, then brought him down for a kiss.

Fernando grinned brightly, "Yes! Haha! Hahahaha!" he raised his fist.


	2. Chapter 2

**Damsel in Distress?  
**

" **Saving Skye"**

* * *

Our knight was traversing through the streets of a small city along the Eastern Coast of the Realm, the weariness of his travels leading him here.

At his back was the vast desert expanse of the Da Chi and at his front was the city of Ting.

"I hate sand..." Fernando murmured as he got off his horse, "It's so coarse and rough, and it gets everywhere." he shook his armor in order to get the grains out of its openings.  
The man set his horse outside an inn, then walked inside.

"Ni Hao." the attendant at the front desk bowed, then saw she was dealing with a foreigner, "Ah! Hello!" she changed her language, "Welcome! Can I interest you in a room?" she asked.

Fernando walked up to her, "Hmm?" he turned to see a cloaked figure enter and cut him off.

"I need a room, quick." the person said and put forward a bag of credits.

"Oh... Right this way!" the attendant said, "Sorry!" she bowed to Fernando and led the woman away.

"But- But- Ah..." Fernando grumbled and crossed his arms.

00000000

It took a few minutes for the woman to return.  
"My apologies once more." she bowed, "That woman was in a hurry." she shook her head, "Now, what room do you want?" she asked.

"Just a normal one." Fernando responded, "Here is the money." he said and put the credits on the desk, "According to your wares outside."

"Ah yes." the woman nodded, "Please, come!" she said and led him up the stairs, "We have the best rooms in all of Ting!" she clapped her hands.

Fernando nodded and followed her to the second floor, "Do you know how long it will take to get to the city of Ming?" he asked.

"You wish to return to the desert?" the woman asked, "I never heard that before." she laughed.

"I have to return West." Fernando responded, "My name must be heard across the realm. Oh, you may have heard of me. I am Sir Fernando." he bowed.

The woman gasped.  
"Aren't you the one who slew the Fountain Serpent of Fu Shing?" she asked.

"Yes! You remember me!" Fernando exclaimed as the two stopped at the end of the stairs, "It was not a difficult battle..."

"None of Fu Shing's greatest warriors could strike down that serpent." the woman added, "Yet this foreigner came along and killed it! Amazing! I am so glad I could meet you!" she bowed various times.

"Now now..." Fernando grinned.

"Your room is at the end of this hall." the woman informed, "Here is your key!" she smiled and ran down the stairs, "Pa! Pa!" she called out, "Guess who I me..." her voice silenced as she went down.

Fernando laughed and walked to the end of the hall.  
"It seems my exploits are grand and numerous." he said proudly as he passed doors and doors, "Fernando is even known in the East!"

The knight stopped when he saw a door was opened.  
"They even welcome me!" he laughed and stepped in, "How honored!" he closed the door behind him, "Haha-" he stopped when he saw something on the bed.

A cloak.

Fernando murmured and walked to it, then remembered the figure that had interrupted him just prior, "Hmmm..." he turned to see steam coming out of the bathroom.

The man set down his lance and shield on the bed and walked to the room.

Creeeeeee...

"HWAK!" Fernando was suddenly on the ground and had an arm aimed at his head, "Hey!" he yelled, but then paused when he saw a most wonderful sight.

An elf, a bit of tan skin, large ears, and purple hair.  
"Who are you?" she growled.

"Why hello there." Fernando grinned and pulled out a rose, "I am Sir Fernando He- HNGH!" he had the elf's other arm pinned to his throat.

"Do you know who I am?" the elf grumbled, "I can kill you right now in over 50 ways and no one will know it was me..."

Fernando murmured, then pushed her and raised her up high, "And I can counter that in over 75 ways and everyone will know it was I, Sir Fernando!" he laughed and pushed her into the wall, "Now I ask you, who is this hot elf?" he placed the rose in her hand.

The elf smirked, "Oh my..." she held the rose, "So direct are we?" she wrapped her legs around his waist, "Do you know who you're playing this game with?"

"No. But I like it." the knight responded.

"My name is Skye... perhaps you've heard of me?" the elf smiled and placed her hands on his shoulders.

"Hmmm..." Fernando pondered, "Skye... No." he shook his head, "I've been all around the Realm and I have no memory of that name."

"Oh phoo..." Skye pouted, "I'm really famous, it's a miracle you haven't heard of me..." she sighed and caressed his chin.

The knight stepped back and let go of her, then cleared his throat.  
"Well, what's a frail woman like you doing here?"

"Frail?" Skye shook her head, "Tough guy to pick on a girl..." she looked down and feigned hurt.

"Ah... Apologies, my lady." Fernando bowed and then extended his hand.

"How kind." Skye smiled, "And to answer your question... I am here on a mission, but-" she gasped when an arrow burst in through the window.

"Watch out!" Fernando sprung into action and covered the elf with his shield, then looked outside the window and saw nothing, "What is going on!"

"They are coming for me." Skye murmured and grabbed her cloak, "I'm gone!" she pressed a button on her wrist device and suddenly vanished from view.

Fernando looked around, but this was not enough for Skye, as this knight was fine tuned to follow the scent of a woman.  
"Skye!" he called out and plucked the woman from the doorway.

"Ah!" the elf jumped, then faced him.

"You shall not go out alone!" Fernando picked her up and ran outside.

00000000

The two ran out of the inn in haste.  
"Where should we- GRAH!" Fernando yelled as his shoulder was struck by an arrow.

"I will not lose you, criminal!" a man jumped down from a nearby building and locked on to Skye, "Perhaps you thought you could hide from these eyes, but you could not!" he taunted and dusted off his red robe.

Skye growled.  
"Well, I guess I have been caught red-handed."

"You never had a chance of escape. Especially from Sha Lin." the man chuckled and shook his head, "Now surrender or I'll force you!" he placed a special arrow on his bow.

"Skye!" Fernando jumped up but was suddenly struck by the special arrow and stunned entirely.

"Fernando!" Skye used the chance to rush the archer and kick him in the stomach, "Take this!" she struck the man with her fist and drove him into a booth.

"My cabbages!" the booth owner yelled as Sha Lin burst his stock.

"GWAH!" Sha Lin groaned, but then stood up and raised his bow, "DAH!" it was kicked out of his grasp by the elf.

"Time's up for you." Skye smirked and aimed her wrist device, "Have a nice-" she saw as the Sha Lin in front of her faded into sand.  
"Huh?"

"Your sight fails you!" the archer's voice yelled.

"AYYY!" Skye screamed as her flank was struck by an arrow, sending her crashing to the ground.

Sha Lin appeared to her left.  
"I'm the quick, you're the dead..." he chuckled and spun an arrow in his hand, "I told you should have surrendered." he planted his feet on the ground.  
"READY?" he laughed, "HA- ARGH!" he was suddenly rammed.

"NO!" Fernando charged and lifted the archer up with his large shield, "RAHH!" he rammed him into a wall, cracking the sandstone structure.

"Is this... the end?" Sha Lin mumbled as he slid down the stone, "It... can't be..." he weakly clawed the ground to escape.

Fernando grunted and picked up Sha Lin, "Have you no honor? Have you no dignity?" he asked the man, "How could you fight such a defenseless, frail woman?"

"No..." Sha Lin shook his head, "It's not what you- AH!" he was thrown into a passing cart.

The knight dusted off his hands as the archer was taken away, then walked over to Skye.  
"Are you alright, my lady?' he picked her up in his arms, "Let me take you to remove that arrow." he murmured.

 **00000000**

Skye sighed and winced as Fernando removed the arrow from her right flank.  
"Thank you..." she smiled and held Fernando's hand.  
"You deserve to be rewarded."

"My lady, please." Fernando chuckled, "I am a man of honor, I will not ext-" he had the elf's legs wrap around his waist.

"Come here!" Skye smirked seductively and brought him in.  
"Oh you don't know what you got yourself into..."

* * *

 **The real Don Juan is here.  
** **Fernando, the one and only!  
** **These characters belong to Hi-Rez!  
** **Enjoy!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Damsel in Distress?**

 **"Saving Tyra"**

* * *

Fernando groaned and shivered as he walked down a tundra's stony pathway, he was truly in an environment where he was at his weakest.  
"I am not a man of cold..." the knight murmured as he lumbered about in his armor, lighting up his lance frequently to warm himself up.

The snowfall was light and sporadic, but it was enough to make a great impact on the temperature.

Suddenly, the knight lost his footing and started to slip and slide across what was a hidden frozen pool.  
"Oye!" the yelled as he fumbled about, then struck a rock and tripped.

The armored man tumbled down a cliff face, bringing down snow and ice with him.

"AH! DWAH! NOO!" the man yelled as he struck the ground consecutively, "NOT THE FACE!" he smashed into the banks extra roughly and was sent flying into the air for a few meters.

The man finally stopped when he struck a wooden wall.  
The wall of a large cabin

"Ahhh..." Fernando groaned and tried to stand back up, "AH!" he winced when he felt the snow that got into his armor melt, "Errr..." he shivered.

Suddenly, there was a yell, and a woman appeared from the shack holding a rifle.  
She had blonde hair braided into a pony tail that hung from one side and a red tattoo under her left eye.

"Begone monster!" she cried out.

"ARRRHHHHH!" Fernando screamed as he was surrounded by fire, "Hot! Hot! Hot!" he stepped around and jumped out, "Hot-" he paused when he saw the woman, "... and spicy..." he ignored his pain.

The woman stepped back.  
"Who are you!?" she raised her rifle.

Fernando shook off the fire and pulled out a rose.  
"I am the heat in the cold, my lady." he grinned and handed the flower to her.

The woman murmured and stared at it.  
"I'll have you know I took down a gorlock with my own hands..." she snarled, "You will be no different if you do not tell me your name!"

"I am Sir Fernando Hernando Servando Fulano Perengano y Zutano!" the knight responded, "I hail from Sun Spire trying to find people to protect and damsels to save- and may I say I found one right here." he moved his eyebrows behind his helmet.

"Sun Spire?" the woman grunted, "What is a heat dweller like you doing in this sun-forsaken land?" she taunted and set down her rifle, "Unless you have a death wish, I don't think you should be out here... especially with that suit of armor. But regardless, I see you are no threat and will introduce myself... I am Tyra, daughter of Tyr Chieftan of the Tyrian Tribe."

Fernando chuckled.  
"Well I see I have met some of the locals!" he set down his lance, "Perhaps you will show me the way to the town of Frostmire."

Tyra shook her head, "You are a foolish one, Fernando." she laughed, "The village of Frostmire is 20 leagues back from whence you came!" she informed.

"What!?" the knight yelled, "No! How- how did you know where I came from?" he asked.

Tyra pointed to the path the knight made as he tumbled down the hill, "Your tracks lead up to the Gilgar Pass." she informed and grabbed a tuft of snow from the man's left boot, "And the smell of your feet indicate that you have recently built up a moisture that can only be acquired in the monsoon rivers of Zutal, which is south from the Great Mountains that block my lands from the rest of the Realm." she stood back up.

Fernando stood surprised.

"Do not have that look on your face." the woman smirked, "I am a huntress, it's only natural for me to have such acute tracking prowess." she stepped back and made her hand stretch out across the snowy horizon.

"This is my domain. I know every creature that inhabits this Taiga." Tyra smiled, "Come, let me show you my great trophies."

00000000

The knight felt the warmth of a nearby fireplace and instantly was relieved by its presence.  
"That hits the spot." he stretched and closed the door behind him.

"This is my northern home." Tyra informed, "Every creature I have ever hunted in the North is housed here." she pointed to one relic.  
"This is the head of the Verikan Bear." the woman informed, "The fiercest mammal of the Eastern Tundra."

She walked to a whole creature set up at the left corner.  
"This is the Ulric Wolf. Very dangerous creatures, even deadlier when they are in packs." she pointed to her left arm, which had a scar across it.

Fernando took off his helmet to get a better look.

"The Lia Deer, the Morkan Moose, Grey Geese, the Incandescent Swan." Tyra went on a speech, "The green elk, the Mestrusian boar-" she turned around and paused, taking a moment to look at Fernando's face.

"You know... it's not polite to stare." the knight smirked as he saw the woman's fascination, "But I understand."

Tyra chuckled, "The men of the south are really quite attractive!" she said and put her hands on her hips, "I almost want to mount your head on my wall to look at it forever!"

"Why I am flatter- Wait what." Fernando paused to recapture that statement.

"I do not lie, southerner!" Tyra smiled, "You are quite the handsome lot! Alas, I am not the courting type for us to be together." she shook her head, "I once got a rifle for my lover, unfortunately, he wasn't too happy to be carried away by the slavers."

"Uh..."

Tyra laughed and grabbed the rose that was still in the man's hand, "But I will take this as a token of what could have been!" she raised it into the air, "In fact, we can celebrate it with a bottle of mead!" she walked t her kitchen.

Fernando nodded and roamed around her living room.  
"This is a nice cabin." he informed as he saw all the rustic amenities, "Oh, here." he said and placed his lance on the sofa and his shield on the ground next to it.

Tyra came out from behind a wall and looked back at him.  
"Would you like wheat mead or rye mead?" she asked, "Wait... is that yours?" she asked and pointed at the lance.

Fernando turned and nodded, "Aye! It was crafted by Don Inigo!" he said proudly, "The best blacksmith in all of Sun Spire- And the Realm!"

Tyra looked at it, "Aye!" she agreed happily, "It looks like an exceptional weapon!" she walked to it and got a closer look, "Aye... a great weapon indeed." she nodded, "Forged Solarium... fire crystals imported straight from the Orc tribes... How much do you want for it?" she picked it up, but strained to do so.  
"Wow... it's very... heavy..." she panted.

"Oh no, my lady." Fernando shook his head and easily picked it up with one arm, "This is Fernando's one and only lance... It is very special- In fact, I can see a piece of myself in it!" he chuckled.

Tyra sighed, "Oh well, a hunter's weapon is his for life." she shrugged her shoulders, "But what impresses me more is that you can lift that with one arm!" she walked to his side and felt his right arm.  
"Aye... I love strong men."

"Er hem." Fernando cleared his throat, "My lady, please... let us take it slow-" he stopped when he heard a bell ring.

Tyra instantly became alert.  
"It's here!" she said and ran to her rifle, which was on a stand by the door, "I finally got him!" she growled and grabbed a strange object from a metal safe.

"What is it?" Fernando saw as the woman paced around gathering materials.

"The only creature in this Taiga I have not caught!" the woman responded as she grabbed a large bowie knife, "The Glacial Serpent!" she said and took a deep breath.

"A serpent?" the knight called out, "Ah! My lady, I know a thing or two on bringing down dragons!" he laughed and ran to get his gear, "Let us take it down together!"

"Very well! But I do not want you dying!" Tyra said, and the two ran outside and stopped by a pole that was a few meters away from her cabin.

On this pole were four strings that stretched out to different parts of the taiga, and each one of them had a bell attached to it.

"Westward..." Tyra mumbled as she saw the said string shake and ring the bell, "The beast has taken the bait I had laid in the west..." she informed.

00000000

The two arrived at the edge of a frozen lake, only to find a large blue colored lindworm feasting on the body of a dead moose.  
Surely enough, there was a string attached to the moose's antler that led back to the cabin.

"A dragon..." Fernando mumbled as the two hid behind a stone, "Ah... destiny has brought us back together, my friend."

"So you have faced the dragonkin before?" Tyra asked, "My... you are just my type." she smirked and prepared her rifle.

"I am a knight, it is fate that leads me to these wretched lagartos." the knight responded, "What will we do?"

"Shock and awe, Fernando." Tyra lit up a small horn, "Shock and awe." she suddenly popped out from behind the rock and threw the horn at the serpent.

A burst of fire shot out and scalded the ice dragon as it ate.  
"REEEEHHHH!" the fiend screeched and tried to back away from the flames.

"Now!" Tyra yelled and charged, lighting up the monster with a barrage of bullets, "RAH!" she hollered at the top of her lungs as she struck her prey with all she had.

"EERRAHHHH!" the monster screeched and barged through the fire and aimed to pummel Tyra to the ground.

"Out of the way!" Fernando intervened and picked up Tyra, "Hah!" he sidestepped to avoid the incoming dragon and set down the woman, "There you go!"

Tyra nodded and reloaded, then aimed once more.  
"This will end you, foul-"

"RAHHHHHHHHH!" a dragon roared.  
But this was not the one that they were fighting.

"DWAHHHH!" Fernando was suddenly struck by a large, scaly tail and sent crashing into a tree.

A second Glacial Serpent appeared from the woods and locked on to the huntress, "EERAH!" it screeched.

"My gods..." Tyra murmured as she was surrounded by the two gargantuan monsters, "No... I did not expect to of them..."

"HRAH!" the first serpent breathed forth a stream of noxious gas.

"No!" Tyra rolled out of the way and fired dead on, "HYAH!" she launched a grenade from her weapon, striking the monster on the shin.

"BRAH!" the second dragon stepped in and struck Tyra with its tail, then slammed her down with its foot.

"AYYYYYY!" Tyra screamed as he body was being crushed by the monster, "AHHHHHHH!" she cried out and then saw the first dragon lumber back in.

"HRAH!" the first dragon communicated to the second, which caused the second to remove its foot and allow it to grab hold of the huntress.  
"KYAH! KYAH!" the first dragon seemed to chortle as it held the woman in its hands, "KRAH!" it crushed her.

"AGHHHHH!" Tyra groaned and tried her best to withstand the excruciating pain, then mustered up the strength to grab one of her horns and chunk it straight into the monster's mouth.

"RYYAHHHHHH!" the dragon bellowed as its insides instantly combusted, causing it to release the huntress as it frantically ran around until it expired in a wad of flames.

Tyra landed roughly on the ground, "Ha... Ha..." she panted and only had the chance to turn around before she was struck by the drake and sent flying into the frozen lake.  
CRASH! The woman broke clean through the ice.

The second dragon charged up its toxic breath, "RAHHHH!" it was suddenly struck by an unstoppable force.

"HRAH!" Fernando charged straight into the beast's front right leg, shattering it upon impact and causing the drake to jerk back in pain.  
"You will pay for that, Amigo!" the knight growled and lit up his lance, then jabbed it straight into the serpent's chest and let loose its infernal payload.

"RYYYAAAAAA!" the second serpent screeched a horrible wail as it too perished to the flames.

Fernando removed his lance before the dragon collapsed, then saw it fall and chuckled to himself. "Looks like you had a bad case of... heartburn." he joked and set his lance down.

"HELP!" Tyra's cries sounded through the air, causing the knight to turn and see her in the lake.

"Dios mio!" Fernando gasped, "Oh no... I can't... swim!" he growled as he ran to the edge of the lake, "I am going to have to pull her out!" he tried to get close to where she was, but heard the ice crack underneath his feet.  
"I can go no longer!" he called out.

"Fernando-" Tyra submerged, "Please... Help!" she cried.

The knight clenched his fists, "Think... Think..." he shook his head, "Ah ha!" he exclaimed and used his lance to reach forward, "Grab hold, my lady!"

Tyra saw the lance and flailed her arms in an attempt to grab hold, "Ah!" she suddenly gripped it.

"HRPH!" Fernando used his might to drag the woman out of the lake and into firm land, "Ha.. ha..." he panted and picked up the woman.

"Thank you..." Tyra shivered weakly, "Fernando."

 **00000000**

Fernando arose out of Tyra's bed and put on his undergarments, trying not to awaken the sleeping huntress as he finished and walked over to his armor.

"Leaving so soon?" the woman's voice called out, the huntress was now awake.

"I have to travel to Frostmire." Fernando responded, "I heard an Orc Tribe is attacking their outskirts." he put on his boots and looked at a mirror, "I cannot allow such injustice to pass."

Tyra sighed.  
"Very well. But makes sure to return to me." she informed as she turned to face him, "You have garnered my mind and my heart, perhaps my father can arrange something for us."

"I will be available whenever you need me, my lady." Fernando started to put on his chest plate, "You know that."

Tyra smiled.

"Now, Fernando must return to doing what he does best! Defend the innocent and the damsels of the Realm!" he cheered and put on his helmet.


	4. Chapter 4

**Damsel in Distress?  
**

" **Saving Kinessa"**

* * *

Fernando stopped and looked inside a barn, taking a glance at the three horses inside. The one at the far left was a black Sun Spirian stallion, the center one was a white Eastern mare, and the last one was...

A mule?

"EEE OOO!" the mule blared as it descended to eat a bale of hay.

"Which one do you want, Sir Knight?" a man asked as he chewed on a piece of straw, "All of 'em are fine stock, ya hear?"

The knight rubbed the back of his head, "I'll take the stallion." he pulled out a bag of gold.

"Alright." the farmer nodded and took the bag, "Huh?" he paused and grabbed a paper from the bag, "What's this?" he opened it up lengthwise, "HOO EE!" he cheered and whistled.

Fernando turned and gasped, "Oye!" he yelled and snatched the paper from the man's hand.

"Looks like one of the Northern gals!" the farmer chuckled, "Did you draw that yourself?"

"Er hem..." Fernando cleared his throat and put the paper in his armor.

"You drew her like one of them Frankish girls." the farmer shook his head, "But this should suffice." he held the bag and felt the gold inside.  
"What happened to your last horse?" he asked, "Odd for a knight not to have one."

"Eh he he..." the knight rubbed his hands, "Welp. I found out that gorlocks like the taste of horse meat..." he informed and rolled his eyes.

0000000

The knight rode towards a saloon in a western-style village, ever watchful of the stares he was getting from the local populous.  
Of course, this did not stop him in the slightest and he continued his way after dismounting his new horse.

The saloon doors opened for Fernando, and he was immediately greeted with the leery stares of the occupants.

"Hola." the knight said as he looked around, "I am looking for the one who had complained about the crocodile gang."

The cowboys stepped aside, and one stood up.  
It was the sheriff.

"Howdy." the man walked towards him, "Who has told you about our crocodile infestation?" he asked, quite surprised that such a faraway person had heard of their contract.

"I was traveling the land in order to save villages from danger when I heard through word of mouth of the lagartos that storm your lakes." Fernando responded and raised his lance, "They may not be dragons... but its close enough."

The sheriff nodded, "Well... I never expected someone from the coastal countries to come down here." he shrugged his shoulders, "But you're a tad too late. Kinny has already gone to take care of them."

"I love Kinny." one cowboy chuckled.

"Uh..." Fernando murmured, "Whatever floats your boat, village person." he shook his head.

The cowboy growled and stood up.  
"Did you just call me a-" he raised his gun and aimed it at the knight.

"Enough!" the sheriff interrupted the two and raised his arm, "It's a misunderstandin'! You see, he's from different land."

"Stupid coastal liberals." the cowboy snarled and sat back down.

"Now, as I was saying." the sheriff said, "Kinny has gone to kick the gator tail, so I'm afraid we don't need that service anymore."

"Who's Kinny?" Fernando asked.

"The local bounty hunter. Born and raised out in a ranch a few clicks away." the sheriff rubbed his rotund belly, "A nice person!"

Fernando nodded, "Well, if it may not be too much to ask, where would Kinny be?"

The sheriff sighed, "I guess you really wanna kill some gators... I doubt Kinny will let you take the share of the money though, you know 'em bounty hunters." he chortled and twisted his mustache, "Anywho, Kinny's over yonder past Ol' Jenin's Farm by the Bull Lake." he pointed to a general direction that was due south.

"I will help him then, and this town." the knight responded and raised his shield, then walked out of the saloon.

"Say, boss." the deputy walked up, "Did that guy just call Kinny a he?" he asked.

"You know 'em coastal people." the sheriff murmured, "A bit too looney for our taste."

0000000

Fernando rode down the dusty trail and caught sight of the lake, then slowed down his stallion as he saw thrashing by a small marsh area.  
"Ah..." he stopped his horse and then stepped down, tying his steed to a nearby weeping willow before advancing, "I don't want you to run away and end up like my last horse."

The knight stepped forward and jumped over a rock.

"HEY!" a voice yelled, causing the man to jump up and see he had landed atop a woman.  
The woman kicked the man in the shin and stood up, "What's your deal!?" she shook her fist and raised her red rifle.

Her earthen brown hair was cut to the base of her skull and she had a white stripe across her left cheek. Her red eyes shone defiantly as she placed her hands on her hips.  
"Well? What is a buffoon from the Iron Age doing here?"

Fernando cleared his throat, "My sincerest apologies, my lady." he did a quick bow and pulled out a rose, "I did not see you hiding behind this stone-"

"What's up with you?" the woman grunted, "My lady? Are you old or what?" she growled, "Again, what the hell are you doing here?"

"My lady, pleas-"

"Tell me what the hell you are doing here or I swear to my scope that I will blow that helmet clean off your stupid head."

"Very well. I do not want to trouble you further." Fernando responded, "I am Sir Fernando Hernando Servando Fulano Perengano y Zutano and I have come to see the man called Kinny."

The woman scoffed.  
"Are you stupid?"

"What?"

"That man called Kinny is me." the woman crossed her arms.

Fernando looked twice, "Uh... you don't look like a man..." he murmured as he inspected her, "Well the hair- DWAK!" he was kicked in the groin and sent to his knees.

"Kinny is short for Kinessa, you imbecile." the woman shook her fist as the man weakly got up, "And what are you doing looking for me!?"

Fernando groaned and rubbed his man area, "Ah... My lady... I have... just come to aid in the crocodile hunt!" he breathed in sharply, "I heard you were out here saving the village-"

"Yeah, so?" Kinessa asked, "I was doing just fine before you stepped on my ass." she sighed.

"Apologies, my lady." Fernando said and rubbed her behind, "Sana sana colita de rana."

Kinessa gasped in shock and then turned, "What the hell!?" she yelled and slapped the knight with the butt of her rifle, knocking away his helmet.  
"What is your de-" she paused when she saw his face.

"Ah..." Fernando rubbed his cheek and reached for his helmet, "Apolo-" he smirked when he saw Kinessa look at him dreamily, "Hola." he brought up another rose and handed it to her.

Kinessa sighed and grabbed it, "Wow..."

"It's not polite to stare, but- OYE!" the knight called out when he saw a crocodile run straight towards them, "Watch out!" he pushed her aside.

"RAPH!" the crocodile lunged and grabbed onto Fernando's leg before the latter could raise his shield.

"ARGH!" Fernando yelled as he was brought down and then dragged toward the lake, "Alejaos de mi, lizard brain!" he tried his hardest to kick the crocodile in the head.

The large reptile was unfazed and eventually dragged him into the lake.

"No! I can't swim!" Fernando cried out.

Kinessa snapped back to reality and saw Fernando being lunged by several crocodiles at once, "Hey! Steel for brains!" she yelled and grabbed her rifle, "Stand still!"

Fernando, however, was too busy fighting the reptiles that sought to drag him deeper into the lake, "I can't do that, my lady!" he responded and punched one of the crocodiles in the maw, "RAH!" he grabbed one by the mouth and tore it apart with his bare hands.

"Oh that's so hot." Kinessa gasped and fanned herself with her hand.

"A little help here!" Fernando was finally subdued by the combined might of the reptilians and was being dragged to a deeper part of the lake, "I CAN'T SWIM!" his heavy armor started to bring him down.

Kinessa grumbled and looked down her scope.  
"KAPOW!" she laughed and struck one of crocodiles with her scope, freeing the knight's left arm as it died.

"Here's another one!" she sniped the crocodile on Fernando's right arm.

"HRAH!" Fernando used his free hands to grabbed the crocodile on his back and flipped it front of him, "Take this!" he punched the monster in the stomach.

"Stop moving..." Kinessa stopped when she saw one of the crocodiles come out and run on land, "Oh please run, I love it when they run!" she laughed and fired, killing it.  
"Easy mone-" she heard a snarl behind her.

A crocodile appeared from the brush and growled right by her face.

"Clever girl..." the bounty hunter gulped and closed her eyes.

"RAHHH!" the crocodile growled and lunged at the woman, tackling her down to the dirt.

Kinessa screamed, catching the attention of Fernando.  
"My lady!" the knight called out and uppercutted the last crocodile, "I'm coming!" he charged out of the water and ran to get his lance and shield, which he had dropped when he was initially attacked.

"Get off!" Kinessa kicked the crocodile, only to have it bite down on her arm.  
"AHHHH!" she screamed and glared at the beast, "Oh... I'll remember this..." she balled up her fist and punched it in a last effort.

"BRAHHH!" the crocodile flew off, stunning the woman for a few seconds.

"Did I do th-" Kinessa paused and saw Fernando jump over her.

"Take this, you lagarto!" Fernando kicked the reptile into a tree.

 **00000000**

The sheriff nodded and pulled out a bag of gold, "Here ya go, Kinny." he handed it to her, "I see you met up with this strange feller."

Kinessa nodded, "He is an oddball indeed." she laughed and slapped Fernando's back, "But he was a great help!" she reached in the bag and pulled out around half of the coins.

The deputies gasped in shock.

"K-K-Kinny!" the sheriff stammered as he saw the act, "Are- Are you ok?" he asked, "Are you sick? Did you eat hot Uncle Gin's chili again?"

"No no. Fernando has just been a great help." Kinessa responded, "In fact, he's going to be much greater help..." she grabbed his arm and dragged the knight right out.

"Hey- Kin- Kin-" the sheriff shook his head, "Them youngun's sure enjoy life." he chuckled and stepped out, then saw the two run off.


	5. Chapter 5

**Damsel in Distress?**

 **"Saving Maeve"**

* * *

Fernando looked around to see the dark village streets of the odd town he was in.

This town was especially different because it had no residents.  
It was a ghost town.

"What is going on here?" the knight murmured as he saw the run down buildings and stands as if everything had been left as it was while the people fled.

Fernando stepped down from his horse and walked towards what appeared to be an inn, "Oh no..." he looked through the broken window.

The inside of the building was a complete disaster, all the wooden furniture was destroyed and the walls were filled with dents and scratches.

It appeared as if something terrible had struck.

Suddenly, there was a noise.

Fernando turned in alert.  
"Ha!" he yelled and pointed his lance at a figure.

"Meow." a white cat appeared from behind a booth, then kicked a can.

The knight breathed in.  
"You scared me, amigo." he chuckled and knelt in front of the creature, "What are you doing here, little cat?" he asked and picked it up.

"Meow." the cat responded.

"Do you know what happened to everyone?" Fernando asked the cat, "What terrible plight has come to this village?"

"Meow."

"Oh right, I am talking to a gato." Fernando shook his head and set the cat down, only to pause when he saw the most shocking sight.

"Meow!" "Meow." "Meow." "Meow!" a whole mass of cats suddenly appeared and congregated in front of the knight.

"Dios mio." Fernando gulped and stepped back as the cat army walked towards him, "I do not like this... I think I know what happened to the village." he murmured.

"Do you really?" a voice responded.

"Yes, they were eaten by ca-" the knight stopped, then slowly turned when he heard the voice.

It was a small woman, pink hair, bright blue eyes, and a scraggy blue trenchcoat that nearly covered her entire body.

"What happened? Cat got your tongue?" she smirked and pulled out two purple blades and stabbed his chest.

"Hngh!" Fernando winced but shrugged it off when the armor stopped them, "Well... that was better than I expected." he murmured and looked down on the woman, "Who are you and what have you done to this village!?" he pointed at her.

The woman scoffed, "Me...nothing. BUT TO YOU!?" she lunged and tried again to strike him.

Fernando absorbed the blows with his armor and then grabbed the woman, "Who are you!?" he yelled and choked her, "What have you done to the peoples of the village!"

"Ah..." the woman groaned, "I... I... did not... do this..." she tried to fight him, "It was... Drogmor..."

Fernando paused and set her down.  
"Drogmor?"

"Ha... Ha..." the woman panted and breathed for air, "Yes..."

"The ravenous swamp monster, Drogmor." Fernando murmured and looked at the woman, "How do you know this?"

The woman stood up, "First he came for the farm animals in the country" she responded, "Then he came for the farmers' children, then for the farmers themselves... But no one cared about the common man." she sighed and then looked up at him, "But then he came into the village, then to the lord's hall and kept devouring the guards who stood there." she informed, "When it devoured the lord's son, they sent me to kill it... but I couldn't find it." she sighed, "When I returned, everyone was gone."

"But the cats?"

"I guess they do not fear the monster Drogmor." the woman smirked, "Plus... they seem to be attracted to me." she showed her eyes to the knight.

Fernando murmured uneasily, "You sure do look like one." he commented, "My lady." his anger finally subsided and he started to appreciate her appearance.

"I am Maeve." the woman responded, "People of your class may think of me like a petty thief, but I am a refined fighter..." she spun her blades in her hands, "I may wander, but I also like to lay down for a few days trying to find a living."

"Well, my little petite Maeve." Fernando cleared his throat, "I am Sir Fernando. Knight of Sun Spire and protector of the Realm!" he pointed up, "I help villages in dire trouble and damsels in distress!"

Maeve nodded, "Perhaps you can help me find Drogmor before he moves on and feasts on more unfortunate souls."

Fernando nodded and took off his helmet, garnering the woman's attention, "That swamp monster will not be a problem." he pulled out a rose, "But as a consolidation for your loss." he grinned and brushed back his hair.

"My." Maeve smirked and grabbed the rose, "Looks tasty." she licked her lips and ate the flower.

"Uh..."

"Sorry, must be the cat in me." the woman laughed and threw the stem away, "You look tired." she saw the man's face, "You should rest before fighting Drogmor." she said and walked towards a large building.

Fernando shrugged his shoulders and followed her.

00000000

The knight stepped inside a lavish hall and looked at Maeve, who was walking to a small area where she had set up a makeshift bedroom.

"They left in such a hurry I can enjoy a lot of their things." the thief smiled and held up a golden necklace, "This is where it all happened." she pointed around.

Fernando nodded and sat on the bed, "What exactly happened?"

"Drogmor stormed in here and ate the guards." Maeve responded and ate a small sardine that was on a desk she had placed nearby, "In the dead of night when the monster usually roams."

The knight sighed and then laid down, "Well, we will see if he stops by tonight, no?" he asked and turned off the nearby lamp.  
"Oh, I may have left you in darkness."

"It is not a problem." the woman responded, and her blue eyes could be seen in the dark scanning their surroundings.

Fernando looked at the feline pupils and nearly shuddered in discomfort, but decided to ignore it and then shut his own eyes.

Suddenly, there was a warm feeling close to him.

The knight used the sliver of moonlight pouring in to see Maeve curled up next to him.  
"Uh..."

"Murrr..." Maeve murmured as snuggled closer, "Goodnight..." she smiled and tried to position herself according to his armor.

Fernando softly chuckled.

The night passed and the clock struck midnight, outside a shadowy figure was lurking through the streets and scanning its surroundings like a hunter.

"Grrr..." the figure growled, revealing it to be a shaggy ape-like creature that was 3 meters tall and had large blood red canines. Its body was toned and refined, a huge muscular chest and two powerful arms that could seize any creature this side of the Realm without a challenge.

The creature entered the hall swiftly.

"Meow!" a cat screeched as it was stepped on by the monster, and was swiftly devoured by the creature.

"Hrrrr..." the monster lumbered forward and seized another cat and ate it, then turned its sights to much large prey, "Herrr..." it chortled as it opened its large yellow eyes and saw its two victims.

The beast swiftly lunged and seized the first figure, but was annoyed when it was just a trenchcoat with hay stuffed into it.  
"GRA!" it growled, then saw a soldier on the bed.

Thinking it was going to be another hall guard and thus an easy meal, the monster seized the man on the bed, only to be horrified when the man grabbed back.

"Hola, amigo." Fernando rose up and held the monster's wrist, "I see you have decided to join us!" he chuckled and then then grabbed the monster's other arm and started to wrestle it.

The beast screeched and hollered as Fernando nearly overpowered it, only to stop the knight by slamming him into a large table.

The knight yelled in pain as he splintered the furniture.  
"Drogmor!" he groaned as he lost his grip.

Drogmor roared and used his clawed hands to strike the man's chest, denting his armor.  
"RAHHH!" it screeched and then drove its hand into one of the armor openings.

"AHHHHH!" Fernando yelled in pain as blood gushed from his shoulder, "You foul wretch! Enemigo de Dios y Hombre!" he grabbed the monster's hand again and crushed it.

Drogmore roared and clawed the man's thigh, causing a great pain to its victim, "HRAPH!" it bit down on the knight's shoulder, easily piercing the armor that was there.

"NAAAA!" Fernando cried out in pain as the beast gnawed him, "YOU MONSTER!" he punched the beast in the face.

Drogmor retracted and shook its head, then saw the knight stand up.  
"Harhar har." it chortled and pounced on the weakened man.

Fernando held back the monster with furious might, then twisted its left arm in an unnatural manner.

Drogmor screeched and retaliated with a powerful punch that rattled the man's skull inside his helmet.  
"ERAH!" the monster roared and threw Fernando out the window.

"HA ha!" a voice behind the monster laughed and Maeve appeared from the shadows, "Take this!" she said and drove her daggers into its back.

No effect.

"What?!" the woman gasped in horror as she bounced away, then threw the blades only to see them effortlessly bounce off its hide.

Drogmor turned and glared at the woman.

"Maeve!" Fernando looked through the window, "Drogmor is impervious to weapons! Dark magic protects him from them!" he informed and then saw the monster lift up a table and throw it at him.  
"DWAH!"

Maeve gasped, then saw the monster turn towards her.

"Herherher..." Drogmor chortled and licked his lips, then tried to seize the woman in order to devour her.

"Not today!" Maeve expertly avoided the beast and tried in vain to stab him, "HYAH!" she lunged and had her knives deflected once more.

"HRAH!" Drogmor swiftly turned and seized the woman by the leg, "Erharhar!" he brought her close to its mouth.

"No!" Maeve screamed and closed her eyes, waiting for her end.

"MEOW!" a cat lept forward and lodged itself in Drogmor's mouth, causing the beast to choke and release Maeve.

"ARK! ARK!" the monster gagged on the cat, "GRAH!" he gave a bellow and finally swallowed it whole, "BRAHHHH!" it turned to see Maeve attempting to flee.  
"ERAH!" he launched Maeve into the wall with a powerful punch.

"AH!" Maeve shrieked when she struck the cobblestone, "Ah... ah..." she groaned and felt blood running down her head, "You... got me..."

Drogmor chortled and lumbered to the woman.  
"Herherherher..." he murmured and reached for her.

An arm grabbed one of his own.

"Not today!" Fernando appeared and drove the monster into the ground, then stretched out the beast's arm as it pushed his body away, "YOU FOUL WRETCH!" he yelled and used all his might to stretch out the arm.

RIP!  
The knight tore off the monster's arm in one powerful act.

"RAHHHHHH!" Drogmor screeched in pain and cried out in anguish.

"Let's see what you had for snacks!" Fernando grabbed the jaws of the monster and pulled with all his might.

 **00000000**

Maeve smiled when Fernando brought out a cat covered in saliva and bodily fluids from Drogmor's body.

"They do have nine lives..." the knight joked as he dried off the cat with his hand, "There there, little amigo." he saw it was the white cat from before, then set it down.

"You saved me..." Maeve grinned and held the cat tight, "A noble sacrifice." she patted it.

Fernando nodded and groaned, his wounds taking a toll on his body.

"Heh..." the knight grinned and then kicked Drogmor's body, "I am glad you are safe my lady." he helped her up, "I could not imagine what would happen if you were devoured by that monster."

Maeve dusted off her clothing and then looked up at him, "Thank you." she pounced and then kissed him on the cheek, "I will enjoy being catty with you..." she smirked and brushed back his hair.


	6. Chapter 6

**Damsel in Distress?**

 **"Saving Evie"**

* * *

"I DO NOT LIKE THE COLD!" Fernando cried out as a howling blizzard struck the path he was taking to the West.  
"Well, I should have thought of that before coming to the Frigorian Plateau." he murmured and looked back, "I bet my horse is much better than me right now."

However, the man's efforts were not in vain, since before he knew it he was in what appeared to be a village.

Fernando stopped in shock.

Two villagers were frozen solid on the main road of the village, looking back in fright as if they fleeing from some unspeakable horror.

The knight grumbled and then saw the blizzard clear out, allowing for greater visibility-  
Perhaps not something he wanted.

All around were unfamiliar faces, frozen places, scared faces.  
It was if whatever had struck this town froze them all in their weakness.

"Dios mio." Fernando murmured and touched one of the frozen people, a man holding a pig, "Who has done this abominable act?" he clenched his fist, then saw a most astounding sight.

Atop a nearby hill was a building made of pure ice crystals, standing out like a sore thumb away from the frozen and run down village buildings.

Fernando set his sights on it and walked towards it.

00000000

The building was of moderate size, but the large crystals made it seem more imposing than it actually was.

But this was not the most foreboding thing about it, for when the knight got a stone's throw away a powerful blizzard shot out of it.

"HRAPH!" Fernando groaned as he withstood the whipping wind and powerful ice pellets, "NO!" he raised his shield in an attempt to protect himself from most of the ice.

However, the larger, flatter surface area also made the wind push him back with much greater power.

Fernando strained under the new might of the gales, then eventually conceded to its raw power and lowered his shield.

"WHO IS THIS THAT COMES TO CHALLENGE THE GREAT AND POWERFUL UTRET!" a booming voice exploded from inside the ice palace, causing the knight to turn and face the building.  
"I SHALL FREEZE YOU WHERE YOU STAND!"

A shining blue light appeared on the doors.

"Oh no!" Fernando growled and raised his lance, the countered the newly created ice beam with a powerful stream of fire, "HRAH!" he charged forward and fought the beam with all his might.

"YOU CHALLENGE MY POWER!?" the voice responded and stopped the beam, then intensified the blizzard, "YOU CAN BLOCK MY BEAM, BUT CAN YOU BLOCK MY BLIZZARD!?"

The storm threatened to consume the man.  
"No... I will not DIE!" Fernando yelled and started to glow like the sun, "NOT YET, AMIGO!" he proclaimed and got ever so closer to the door.

The blizzard was deflected off his glowing armor, the ice pellets melted upon impact.  
Nothing was harming him.

"HRAHH!" the knight yelled and blasted the icy door with lance, then used his might to tackle the weakened structure.  
CRASH! The gate gave way and the knight burst forth like a powerful Sun Spirian stallion.

Ahead of him was an old man on an icy throne, and next to him was a-  
A... woman trapped inside an ice crystal, surrounded by cables that appeared to be connected to the man's ice tipped staff.

"So, a knight." the man chuckled as he saw Fernando stand in his midst, "Well, it seems fate has brought you to me. Sorcerers and knights are natural enemies." he lifted up his staff, "Unfortunately for you, knight, this sorcerer has tapped a tremendous source of magical power."

Fernando glanced at the woman inside the crystal.  
"What are you doing to her, you fiend?" he growled as he saw the cables along the ground.

"Do you not know this lady?" the sorcerer chuckled, "This is the infamous Ice Witch of Stonebriar, Evie." he informed as he rubbed the ice crystal that contained her, "She defeated the Ice Wraith Xerxes and gained his bountiful magical power... And in turn, I have done the same to her." he cackled and stood up.  
"With Evie in my grasp, I have amplified my magical power to insurmountable levels!" he pointed the staff at the knight, "And you will be the first challenger to see it!"

Fernando raised his shield, but it was all in vain.

"UTRET WILL FREEZE YOU!" the sorcerer laughed and blasted a terrific beam of energy that froze Fernando's legs to the ground, bypassing his layers of armor without trouble.

"ARGHH!" Fernando yelled as his legs were chilled.

"Now I will make sure to suffer like the villagers that so taunted me." Utret murmured and aimed his staff once more, freezing Fernando's shield arm.

"I am no longer in the hot seat!" Fernando groaned, "HRRRAHHH!" he used his might to break out, then sidestepped to the right to avoid another beam.

"Fire beats Ice!" he launched a searing fireball.

The sorcerer grunted and merely froze the fireball with a blast, "A pitiful effort." he cackled and launched a large hailstone.

"DWAH!" Fernando was struck by the exploding hailstone and sent crashing into an ice column.

"You will see the powers the others didn't see! At least before they perished." Utret growled and launched a continuous beam, which froze Fernando's legs and slowly moved up.

"AHHH!" Fernando cried out as he felt his body slowly freezing, he weakly raised his shield arm to block the beam, but only started the chilling of his left arm in the process, "AHHH!" he groaned as the frost overcame his shield and got on his hand.

"There is no armor that can defend against my magic!" Utret cackled, "And you will see... oh you will see."

The knight started to feel faint as his blood stopped running, "No..." he murmured, "Evie! I will save you..." he called out to the witch in the crystal.

"No you will not..." Utret scoffed and saw as he completely froze Fernando, "Let us see if any more of your ilk come and perish." he sat back down and looked at his staff, then saw a most peculiar sight.

A single rose was in the spot Fernando originally stood.

"Huh?" the sorcerer grunted, "What is th-" he heard a crack.

It was ice.

Utret turned and gasped when the ice surrounding Fernando started to break, giving way to the powerful knight. "WHAT!?"

"HRAH!" Fernando yelled and broke out, "There are still more roses to hand out! Still more damsels to save!" he yelled and looked at the rose.

"GO BACK TO THE FREEZER!" Utret stood up, but too late, Fernando was already filled with unstoppable momentum and grabbed the rose.

"HRAPH!" Fernando raised his shield to stop an exploding hail stone, then sidestepped to avoid an ice beam, "YOU WILL SEE TRUE POWER, AMIGO!" he charged straight towards the crystal.

"NO!"

Crash! The crystal shattered into a million pieces and gave the knight clear way to grab Evie.

"Huh!?" the witch instantly woke up, "Hey! Who are you!?" she growled at Fernando.

"I am Sir Fernando." Fernando spoke rapidly as he avoided the sorcerer's attacks, "I am knight. You are a cute lady. Here." he handed the rose to her and set her down.

"My power!" Utret cried out and launched a weaker ice beam, which was easily dispatched by the man's fire lance.

"Hey! He has my staff!" Evie called out as she saw her weapon in the man's hand, "That's the stupid idiot that tricked me into jumping into a well!" she shook her fist.

Fernando turned, "How did he do that?" he looked at her with a confused face.

"He said there was ice cream down there." Evie grumbled and rubbed her arm, "Hey! Watch out!" she said as the sorcerer shot out another beam.

"DIE!" Utret charged up a more powerful attack and struck Fernando in the back.

"DWAH!" Fernando felt his back lock up as it froze, "Watch out, my lady!" he used his might to counter some of the effects and shield Evie from the beam.

"You watch out! You're the one getting hurt!" Evie growled and took off his helmet, "Look at me! Fight!" she pointed to the sorcerer, who kept amplifying his beam.

"You look so hot when you're angry." Fernando grinned, only to get slapped in the face.

"Save it for later, you hunk!" Evie growled but smiled, "Get my staff and I shall reward you!"

Fernando sighed, "Very well." he shrugged his shoulders and turned, "It's just you and me, vaquero." he flexed his pecs, removing ice from his chest.

"NO!" Utret growled and charged up another beam.

The knight charged through the beam and pummeled the sorcerer, "HRAH!" he removed the staff from his hand and threw it to Evie, "Now you will pay for your crimes against the village!" he yelled and threw the sorcerer on the platform that held the crystal prison.  
"Do your job!"

"Don't mind if I do!" Evie cackled, "ACHOO!" she sneezed, and a small blizzard cyclone shot out and surrounded the sorcerer.

"NO! NO! NO!" Utret screamed as he was being trapped inside an ice crystal, his yells eventually dying out as he was completely frozen over.

 **00000000**

"I like you. You can live." Evie told Fernando as the two walked out of the ice palace.

"Thank you, my lady." Fernando grinned, but then murmured as he finally registered that compliment, "Uh..."

Evie smiled and twirled the rose in her hand, the froze it.  
"I like it better this way." she laughed and then put it in her pocket.

"Poor flower." Fernando murmured and felt a sharp pain hit his legs, "AH!" he yelled as he saw his legs were frozen into the ground.

"And I like you better that way..." Evie smirked and then froze his arms to a boulder, "Oh I do like you better this way." she cackled and looked at him with fierce eyes.

"NO! NO! NOT THE FACE!"


	7. Chapter 7

**Damsel in Distress?**

 **"Saving Ying"**

* * *

Fernando stopped in the face of an ancient temple in the lands of the East, the large cherry blossoms blooming before its mighty walls.

"They say there's an ancient monster that lives there that can destroy entire villages." an elven warrior spoke as he hid behind his shield, the same with his four companions.

"Enough with the superstitions." the constable of the town spoke, "Now the truth is, a traveling circus was kidnapped by a local criminal gang that made their headquarters here." he informed the knight, "If the warriors of the West are as great as we have heard they were, you may just save them all."

The knight scanned his surroundings and saw a break in the old temple walls, "Perhaps I can enter there, catch them unawares."

"Astute eye, foreigner." the elven constable said as he and his posse retreated, "Well, this is about as far as we can go." they ran to hide behind a large tree.

Fernando chuckled and walked towards the walls surrounding the temple, "I haven't seen such a strong wall since the great Lord Trumpinius of Sun Spire built his mighty barricade." he murmured and walked towards the opening.

Swift he entered, like the summer breeze or the daylight through an open window.

Only to be met by armed thieves ready to kill him.

"Well... I should have expected this." Fernando grumbled, then raised his shield when the thieves pounced to attack him, "HRAH!" he struck two of the thieves with his shield, then punched the third, and finally hit the fourth his shield again.

"Quick!" the first thief groaned and called out to another that had exited the temple proper, "Tell them to kill the hosta- DWAK!" he was knocked out by the knight and his shield.

The thief gasped as he saw Fernando finish off the rest of the watchmen and then ran back inside.

"Oh no, amigo." Fernando murmured and ran to follow him, bursting through the door with a powerful kick.

"DIE!" two thieves that were waiting behind the doors fired their arrows and struck the knight, only to be shocked when their arrows did not even pierce his armor.

"And just when you thought you were the sexiest one here." Fernando looked around and saw around 20 gang members surround him, "I showed up." he smirked and winked.

"HRAH!" the gang members yelled and mobbed him.

00000000

"Sir!" a thief ran into the inner most room and looked up at an elf that was highly decorated with jewels, "There's a man! A foreigner!" he panted, "He's wrecking us!"

The thief boss grumbled, then heard the cries of his men outside, "Er! He can't get them!" he pointed to the traveling circus members, which were placed in makeshift cages at the far left corner.

"All of you! Barricade that door while we kill the hostages!" he said and got his two right-hand men and ran to the victims.

"Let's go!" the rest of the thieves yelled and started to pile things on the doors in hopes of stopping Fernando.

The knight punted the last thief and then set his sights on the doors that led to the temple's innermost chamber.  
"That must be where the hostages are." he grumbled and ran up the steps that led up to the golden doors, "Hmm." he pushed on them but they did not budge.  
"What's this?"

"He's on to us!" the thieves on the other side yelled and they started to place more stuff.

"Make sure he doesn't get in here!" the thief boss said and struck down a clown, "No funny business!" he struck down another.

Fernando growled as he tried to push the doors open, "Open this at once! I command you!" he yelled, "Sir Fernando will exact justice on you!" he gave a powerful push.

The doors budged slightly and caused some of the items that the thieves had set up to fall.

"We're out of stuff, sir!" a thief said as there was no more furniture to move around.

The thief boss growled as he heard the pushes of the knight from the other side, then scanned the room.  
"Ah ha!" he pointed to a large statue at the far center of the room, "Put that giant black turtle thing! He'll never budge that!" he exclaimed.

"Sir... that looks like it's a billion pounds!" a thief groaned and was struck down by one of the right-hand men.

"Anyone else wanna gripe!?" the woman growled as she glared at the other thieves.

The thieves gasped and all ran to the statue, then used their combined might to try to lift it.  
"HEAVE!" the yelled as they pulled up, "HO!"

"Let's get back to work!" the thief boss growled and struck down the ringmaster, then set his sights on the last member of the crew.

It was an elf woman, black hair, glowing white skin, a turquoise exotic dancer dress, and a glowing black mirror.

"Here, pretty..." the thief boss cackled and grabbed the bound elf by her ponytail, "Too bad there was a rescue for you..." he positioned his blade on her neck.

THUD!  
A powerful crash sounded and the yells of the thieves resonated through the room.

"What in the hell!?" the thief boss turned to see that statue had tipped over and cracked, "What are you buffoons doin-" he paused when he heard further cracking.

The statue started to glow and the cracks started to multiply.  
The ground shook as something powerful was rising from the black stone figure.

Fernando felt the tremors and pounded on the door, "Oye! Open up!" he kept pushing with all his might in an effort to open the doors.

The statue exploded in a burst of light.

The thieves fell back and to the ground as they were overcome by the power.

"What is going on!?" the thief boss groaned as the light died down, then turned to see a most horrifying sight.

It was a large turtle-like creature, holding a barnacle-laden anchor and a rusty chain.

The thieves stammered.

"KILL THE DAMN THING!" the thief bossed yelled.

The turtle creature turned to the boss, then launched his anchor and snagged the man.

The thieves gasped in horror as the turtle monster dragged their boss towards him and then grabbed him by the neck.  
"Who are you to call upon such fury?" the monster spoke and then crushed the boss's neck, throwing him aside.

"RAH!" the right-hand men charged in anger and struck the turtle with their swords, only for their weapons to break upon impact with its scales.

"Your weapons do nothing to me!" the turtle raised his anchor and struck the two thieves, shattering their skulls and sending them flying towards their boss, "I am Makoa, the guardian of the seas... How dare you trespass on my domain!?" the monster glared at the thieves.

Fernando paused as he heard screams inside the room.  
"What is going on in there!?" he yelled and then ran a few steps back, "COMING THROUGH!" he charged with his shield first.

CRASH! The knight burst through the barricade with power, then looked up to see a shocking sight.

All the thieves had been slain, not one was left alive.

"Dios mio..." Fernando murmured, then heard the faint struggles of the elf woman, "Huh!?" he turned to face her, "Oh no!" he ran and attended the woman.

The elf cried as the knight released her.  
"Help!" she was ungagged, "We have to get out of here!" she warned.

"My lady! Please!" Fernando tried to calm her down, "I am Sir Fernando! I am here to save you!" he grinned and pulled out a rose.

"AHHHH!" the elf screamed as a shadow loomed over them.

"Worry not! There is no reason to be af-" Fernando paused when he noticed that shadow was not his, "Uh..." he slowly turned around to see the large turtle creature standing behind him.

"YOU DARE VIOLATE MY SACRED REALM!?" Makoa roared and struck Fernando with his anchor, sending the man flying to the wall.

"ARGH!" the knight groaned in pain, "Ah... Ah..." he panted, then saw Makoa jump inside his shell and roll towards him at an alarming speed.  
"No!" he stood up and stepped out of the way, "My lady!" he ran to the elf.

Makoa struck the wall and jumped out, "Hrrr..." he growled and saw Fernando pick up the elf, "You two will pay for your transgression!" he launched his anchor.

"HNGH!" Fernando and the elf were constricted by the chain and yanked towards the beast, "Watch out!" the knight took the subsequent blow.  
"UNGH!" the man fell to the ground.

"Ah!" the elf fell out his grasp, "Stop!" she cried out when Makoa turned to her, "Please! I am but a humble dancer!" she wept and closed her eyes.

"HRMPH!" Fernando tackled Makoa and sent the turtle sliding back, "My lady!" he saw he stunned the monster, "First, what is your name. Second, here!" he handed her the rose and picked her up.

"Ying!" the elf told him as they exited the room, "I am Ying! Thank you!" she exclaimed.

Suddenly, they stopped.

"FACE ME!" Makoa pulled the two back with a great force.

"NO!" Fernando threw Ying before they face the turtle again, "DAH!" he was struck by the anchor, "HNGH!" he turned and caught the second strike before it hit him.

"HRRR!" Makoa tried to overpower the knight.

"HAH!" Fernando kicked the turtle in the chest area and sent him flying back, "You will see a true weapon, amigo!" he ran raise his lance and fired a flame.

Makoa stepped back in shock.  
"What is this element!?" he gasped and tried to avoid the fire at all costs.

"Ying! Get out!" Fernando noticed the woman was still behind him, "You must be safe!"

Ying murmured, "I can't leave you!"

"GO!" Fernando responded as his fire crystal tired, then the flames died down.

Makoa saw that the fire died down, "A coward move to hide behind that hot blanket!" he rolled into his shell and struck Fernando with a powerful blow that nearly shattered the man's legs.

"AGHH!" Fernando yelled as he was flipped over and crashed on the ground.

Ying gasped and teleported before Makoa struck her, "Fernando!" she hovered over to the man, who was barely recovering.  
"Are you alright?" she held him tight.

"I am- YING!" Fernando saw Makoa throw out his anchor.

"AH!" Ying screamed and was violently yanked back.

"HRAH!" Makoa grabbed the elf by the collar, "I will cr-'

"NO!" Fernando yelled and charged at the turtle, "YING!" he wrestled Makoa for the woman, "LET GO OF HER!"

"NO!" Makoa struggled against the man's might but lost his grip on the woman.

"Ah!" Ying tumbled to the ground.

Fernando used this opportunity to uppercut Makoa into the wall, "You monster!" he punched Makoa so hard that his shell cracked.

"ARGH!" Makoa bellowed, then his eyes started to glow, "You... YOU CHALLENGE MAKOA?!" he suddenly gained an incredible surge of mystical power that sent the knight flying back.

"Agh!" Fernando hit the ground but stood up a few moments after.

"RAHHH!" Makoa roared and raised his anchor, then furiously struck the man in his chest.

"DWAK." Fernando had the wind knocked out of his body, his chestplate completely scrapped, and blood was coming out of his mouth.

"HRAH!" Makoa struck the man in the arm, shattering the man's right shoulder in one fell swoop, "Take this!" he then struck the knight again and sent him flying back into the large statue room.

"Fernando!" Ying cried out in horror as she saw the turtle creature lumber in to follow him.

Fernando groaned in pain and looked up to see Makoa raise his anchor.  
"My... my..." he groaned and was then struck in the chest once more, "My lady!" he caught a glimpse of Ying.  
"CWAK!" he coughed up more blood.

Makoa's power subsided as he noticed he had bested his opponent, then he stomped on the knight with his left foot.  
"The sea claims you, mortal." he murmured.

"Fernando!" Ying charged forward, causing the turtle to turn and face her.

"Hrph." Makoa grunted and then whacked the incoming Ying, only to have it explode in a shower of petals that stunned him.  
"Huh!?" he groaned as he fumbled about.

Ying appeared and struck Makoa with a magical beam from her mirror.  
"You will pay for your attack!" she aimed again, only to gasp when the turtle threw out his anchor.

"HRA!" Makoa snagged the elf and grabbed her once more, "You have pestered me long enough!" he squeezed her neck.

"Ah... Ah..." Ying whimpered, then looked at Fernando, "We... are stronger... together..." she conjured up a magical ball of petals.

Fernando groaned and opened his eyes as the ball started to emanate an aura of healing power, "Eh..." he shook his head, then saw Makoa aiming to kill Ying.  
"No! No!" he stood up with his new found strength and punched Makoa.

"DWAH!" Makoa was sent flying back, releasing Ying in the attack.

"HRAH!" Fernando roared and tackled the turtle creature, breaking through the wall of the temple until they ended up outside.

Makoa roared and bit Fernando in the shoulder, causing the knight to release him.

"Take this!" he raised his anchor, but his swing was caught.

"Not today, amigo!" Fernando kicked Makoa again, then tackled him one more time.

"Ra- HWAHH!" the turtle monster yelled as he was pushed off into a fast flowing river, "AHHHH!" he was swept away by the currents and disappeared from sight.

 **00000000**

The knight groaned as he was now in the nearby village's inn, holding his shoulder in pain as he came out of his room.

Ying walked out with his rose.  
"Thank you, Fernando." she smiled and looked up to her hero, "I'll never forget you."

Fernando grinned, "I want to retire, but seeing the smiling faces of beautiful damsels keeps me in the job." he chuckled and sighed, "But it may take me a while to recover from this fight." he looked at his chest, which was bandaged and bloody.

Ying frowned, "I am so sorry I brought you into that situation..." she mumbled.

"It's fine." the knight responded and held her shoulder, "As long as I saved you, it is all fine." he grinned brightly.

The elf hovered up to his face and kissed him, then brought the knight inside the room and closed the door.


	8. Chapter 8

**Damsel in Distress?**

 **"Saving Fernando"**

* * *

Fernando sighed as he finally returned to Sun Spire, it was now Spring again, about a year and a winter after he had started his great adventure.

Of course, he was now a hardened and seasoned knight, worthy to actually be an official knight of the Sun Spirian Order.

The townspeople of Sun Spire cheered as their gallant knight returned to them, rejoicing filled their hearts as the famous paladin once again came back.

"Now now." Fernando waved as he rode on his black stallion, trying his best to contain the crowds that were surrounding him.

"Our Lord has come!" some villagers started to chant, catching the attention of the knight and it finally caused him to stop.  
"Our King has come!"

Fernando chuckled, "What is this I hear about being Lord of Sun Spire?" he asked the crowds.

"Count Ignacio has passed away!" a villager responded, "We are in need of a new Lord!" she held up a basket of roses, "Only you are worthy of such a title!"

Fernando shook his head, "Please, I am but a knight to serve the people! I could never be a Lord of Sun Spire!" he chortled and rode up to the central fountain.

It was in front of a cathedral that the Knights of Sun Spire were congregated, waiting for Fernando to come to them.

The knight stopped and stepped down, the people at his back and the knights at his front.  
"I return, my countrymen!" he told everyone, "Sir Fernando has returned!" he repeated, and the people cheered.

"Welcome back, Sir Fernando." the oldest knight chuckled as he walked up to the man, "How did your travels around the Realm end up?"

"I upheld the Knight's Code of Honor, my liege." Fernando bowed, "I defended those who could not defend themselves and saved damsels in distress." he said, "I defeated a Kappa Monster, Drogmor the Swamp Creature, the Fu Shing Serpent, the Giant of the Pellosenes."

The knights were astounded by the man's news.

"Wow." the old knight opened his eyes, "Congratulations, Sir Fernando!" he clapped, "Well, you probably have heard the news." he chuckled.

"I am saddened by the loss of Count Ignacio." Fernando bowed.

"But the people look to you for leadership." the old knight responded, "You are the pinnacle of a Sun Spirian... and to be honest, we wholeheartedly agree with them." he stepped back with the other knights, and they all bowed.

Fernando shook his head, "My countrymen, I am not deserving of being Lord of Sun Spire!" he announced, "I wish to continue to help you all! I am a knight by blood, and I wish to stay like that!"

The knights stood back up.

"Are you sure, Sir Fernando?" the old knight asked.

"Yes. I wish to continue serving all of you!" Fernando answered, "I am Sir Fernando, and I am the Knight of Sun Spire and all her People!" he proclaimed.

The crowds cheered.

"You have chosen nobly, Sir Fernando." the knights spoke and bowed before Fernando.

"Fernando!" a voice called out, catching the man's attention.

"Fernando! Where is Fernando!?"

The crowds parted way to reveal Cassie.

"Huh?" Fernando turned and saw the woman, "Oh! Hey!" he waved and smiled, only to stop when he saw what was in the woman's arms.

"Oh, I'm so glad I finally found you!" Cassie ran up to him, "I've been searching all over the realm!"

The knights looked at her.

"Eh..." Fernando gulped, "Uh... Cassie... What is that in your arms?" he murmured.

"Oh, it's your son!" Cassie smiled and held up a baby, "You remember when you saved me from the Witch Doctor?" she asked.

Fernando cleared his throat.

The knights behind him murmured amongst themselves.

"Watch out! Out of the way!" another voice said, "There you are!"  
It was Kinessa, "Well, looks like you live in a fancy place, Fernando!" she laughed as she walked towards him, "A nice place for your daughter-" she paused when she looked at Cassie.  
"Who is this girl?"

The knights gasped.

Fernando sighed and looked up to the sky.

"I'm Cassie." Cassie told Kinessa, "Who are you?" she asked.

"I'm Kinessa." the sniper responded, "I'm here for Fernando, the father of my little girl."

Cassie gasped and turned to Fernando.

"Hey!" another voice called out, "What's the deal!?"  
Evie pushed through the crowds and growled at the villagers, "Fernando- Oh!" she turned when she saw the knight, "There you are!" she smiled and walked over to him, "Look what I made!" she said in a sing-song fashion as she showed her another baby girl.

The knights shook their heads and groaned.

"Eh... he..." Fernando chuckled weakly, "I... don't know what happened." he turned to the knights.

"What do you mean you have his kid!?" Kinessa growled and shook her fist at Evie.

"Huh? Who are you!?" Evie saw the two women, "I'm with Fernando! And what are those two little snotty brats doing here?"

"This one is Fernando's child!" Cassie yelled.

Fernando grumbled as he felt tensions escalate, "Well... it can't get any worse-" he saw Tyra come out of the crowds.

"At last!" the huntress grinned as she walked to the man, "I have found my lover!" she exclaimed, causing the other women to turn, "You have produced two heirs for my father, Sir Fernando!"

At this point, the crowds started to snicker and laugh.

"These two strong boys are yours, Fernando!" Tyra announced as she held up the twins, "Our warrior blood runs in their ve-" she looked at the other three women.

"Get in line..." Kinessa growled, then glared at the knight.

"Sir Fernando." the old knight cleared his throat, "What exactly did you do in your travels?" he tried to contain his laughter.

Fernando sighed, "I don't kn-" he caught a glimpse of Skye walking down, "Oh Dios Mio!" he groaned.

"Hey..." Skye walked up to the knight, but not before seeing the other women too, "Who are these?" she scoffed at them.

The others growled.

"Skye..."

"Regardless." the elf interrupted, "I came by to tell you that this is your daughter." she held up her own baby, "You remember when you saved me from the archer-"

"Hey!" Tyra yelled, "Who are you!? I am the mother of Fernando's offspring!" she beat her chest, "Why do you all try to usurp my rightful place!?"

"Because he's the father of my kid too!" Cassie responded.  
"And mine!" Kinessa added.  
"And me too!" Evie growled.

"What is this buffoonery!?" Skye grunted and looked at them, "I am the only one here who has Fernando's child."

"What are you all talking about?"

"OH GOD." Fernando groaned as he saw Maeve enter.

Even the knights could not contain their laughter, and the crowds themselves were bursting in an uproar louder than the initial celebration.

"Here's your little kitty." Maeve told Fernando as she presented him a baby girl, "Do you like her?"

"Fernando! Get off the girls, amigo!" a villager hollered, causing the crowds to burst into laughter once again.

"He's not wrong, you know." the old knight chortled.

"Explain this at once, Fernando!" Tyra spoke and pointed at the man, "What is the meaning of this!?"

"Yeah!" the other women chimed in.

"Well... you see..." the knight chuckled weakly as he looked at all of them, "When a stork flies in the sky holding a white bag-"

"Hello, everyone." Ying appeared holding another baby, "Oh! Hi, Fernando-"

Fernando shook his head and turned to the knights, "You can't make this up."

"Well, you did." another knight responded.

Ying looked at the other women.  
"Uh... Fernando?"

"Get in the back of the line, girl." Kinessa grunted, "We all have some questions for him." she growled and turned to Fernando.

"Well, you see... I actually have a dentist appointment at-" Fernando looked at his sundial watch, "About now." he turned and charged down the road.

"WHERE ARE YOU GOING?!"

* * *

 **Well, that's it for this tale! Hope you enjoyed!**


	9. Chapter 9

**Damsel in Distress**

 **"Saving Inara"**

* * *

Fernando panted as he entered a wooded area just east of Sun Spire.

"I have never ran so fast in my entire life..." he murmured as he leaned on a tree, "Good thing they were all carrying babies, or they would have caught me." he chuckled and then stepped into the woods, "Maybe... I can hide here for a few hours until they calm down."

The knight ventured forth, using his lance to clear away bush and vines.  
Perhaps this wasn't the most welcoming of places for a knight, since nearly everything was an obstacle for the armor-laden man.

This rough trek reminded Fernando of his journey into the marsh, then his mind shifted to Cassie.  
She was a beautiful and spirited young woman, and during that knight he remembered the feel of her child-bearing hips.  
Her deep red hair, her soft lips.

"Uuh!" The knight shook his head and then jumped down to a small clearing, "What is wrong with me?" he murmured and then looked to a small pond.  
Fernando's reflection was saddened and distraught, a fitting face for a man who was in a dilemma such as his.

"Look at me." the knight said and then touched the water.  
Cold water, just like when he was fighting the crocodiles.

Kinessa's voice called out to him, the bounty hunter of the West.  
He remembered her petite body, her strong face, and her attitude. Despite her lacking of basic feminine traits, she was still quite the woman.

"Enough!" Fernando groaned as he tried to get the images out of his head, then continued walking down the woods.

The knight eventually stopped and sat down on a stump, then stopped to admire the nature around him.  
"Maybe I should stay here forever." he murmured and then looked at a deer that was feeding nearby.

He was surprised it wasn't startled by his presence, but then it got him thinking again.

Tyra.  
The great Northern Huntress.

Oh a fine woman. Strong, capable, dependable, but deep inside very caring.  
Could it have been her Northern upbringing?  
Despite this, she was a woman Fernando could and did admire.

"Hah..." Fernando sighed deeply, then set his lance and shield down and walked over to a small creek.  
"I need a drink." he spoke and cupped up some water with his helmet.

After drinking the water, Fernando then looked out and saw the creek ventured onwards and became a moving river.  
The same type of river the knight had thrown the turtle monster in after saving Ying.

Ah yes, Ying.  
Small, cute, a fine body. Despite her child-like demeanor she was still a young woman-  
A fine one by that, especially for an elf.

The elves were always known for their beautiful women, as seen with Skye, who was the next woman to cross the knight's mind.

She was smoking hot, even thinking about her made the knight break a sweat.  
She brought out the most primal of instincts from him, which for a knight was not good.  
Around her he lacked discipline, but he couldn't blame himself.

Fernando once again shook his head and turned to his gear, then saw a goblin was holding it.  
"OYE!" he yelled.

"Huh!?" the goblin turned, "Ah!" he yelled and then dropped the lance, causing it to spew out a blaze of flames that quickly consumed a bush.

"No!" Fernando yelled, then saw another figure appear.

"I have found you, you troublemaker!" the figure yelled and grabbed the goblin.

It was woman, and she appeared a bit... gray?

"You dare defile the sanctity of the wild?" The woman grabbed the goblin by the feet since she was so tall, "Ha!" she gasped as she saw the lance spew fire.  
"Oh my!"

Fernando ran to the rescue and picked up his lance, then turned it off.  
"My lady!" he turned to face her.

"Quick, put it out!" the woman said as she looked at the man.

"Very well!" Fernando said and grabbed his shield, then ran and smothered the flames with it, "Ha! Hah!" he yelled and stood back up, "Haha!"

The woman sighed deeply, "Thank you." she smiled and extended her hand, "You have protected The Mother." she touched his forehead with her index finger.

Fernando felt the smooth, cool touch of her skin.  
"Thank you." he said, then opened his eyes when he saw the said skin.

It was stone. The woman's skin was all stone.

"The Mother appreciates your help." the woman smiled, "Thank you for helping me catch this scoundrel." she held up the goblin.

"Uh... yes." Fernando shook off the odd fact and pulled out a rose, "My lady, what is your name?" he asked and handed it to her, "I am Sir Fernando of Sun Spire!"

"What a beautiful flower." the woman said and placed it in her hair, where it took root and joined the other plants that were found there, "I am Inara, the Stone Warden of the Western Woods." she responded.  
"I help The Mother in protecting the wild."

"Inara, pleased to meet you." Fernando then looked at the goblin, "What is this?" he pointed at it.

"This is Rumpet, he's been terrorizing the wild and the creatures for a week now." Inara said and shook the goblin, "No good trickster, you should not have crossed The Mother." she set him down called upon stones to weigh him down.

"Hngh!" Rumpet groaned, "I would have gotten away with it too if it wasn't for you!" he shook his fist.

"Silence!" Inara told him, then turned to Fernando, "What brings you here, human?" she asked as she looked at the knight.

"I-" Fernando stopped, thinking it was best not to tell her, "I just wanted to look at nature, yes." he chuckled.

Inara smiled, "Excellent." she said and then saw Rumpet wave his hands, "What are you doin-"

"Kalakazoo! Kalazand!" Rumpet laughed, "I command that lance to come out of your hand!" he yelled, and the lance suddenly jerked out of the knight's grip.

"Huh!?"

"Kalakazee! Kalakazurn!" Rumpet continued, "Lance, burn burn burn!" he cackled, and the lance shot out fire balls and streams of flames, immeadiately setting fire to the surroundings.

"NO!" Fernando yelled and gained control of the lance, but unintentional made it face the goblin and the flames consumed him.

"Fernando!" Inara yelled as the fires started to spread.  
"Please help me protect the mother- AH!" she was hit by a herd of stampeding deers which were frightened by the flames.

"Inara!" Fernando yelled and was also trampled by the stampede, "AGH!" he was taken down to the creek, "ACK!" he yelled as he tried to stand up.

The deers made it safely past the river, leaving Fernando in the middle of the creek.

"Ha!" Fernando gasped and then ran back to the woods, then saw Inara was surrounded by the fires,

"Mother, protect me!" Inara made some stones surround her, "Fernando!" she saw the man's figure in the flames.

"I'm coming!" Fernando saw her and then looekd around for a way to put out the flames.  
Bingo.

The mouth of the creek was nearby, and if he could only divert the water towards the burning woods we would saver her.

"What to do... what to do..." the man murmured as he looked around, "Inara! I'm coming!" he ran to the mouth of the creek and then looked around some more, "Ha!" he pointed to a large boulder that was nearby.

Inara growled as the fires started to burn her, "I cannot put them out with my stones, lest I bury the seedlings that seek to replace them..." she groaned and then looked up to the sky.  
"Mother, forgive me!"

Fernando walked up to the boulder and rubbed his hands.  
"HRPH!" he pushed on the large stone, "HRAH!"

It barely budged.

"Ah... Ha..." he panted and then looked at his lance, "It's worth a shot." he said and then drove it into the ground under the boulder, "HAH!" he pushed it down, making a lever effect that pushed the boulder.

"HRAH!"

The boulder finally budged and started to roll.

"Now!" the knight yelled and gave a quick kick, causing the boulder to pick up speed to roll to the mouth of the creek.  
SPLASH!  
The boulder covered just enough to allow a diversion,

The river flowed right into the woods and its waters quenched the flames.

000000000

"Thank you, Fernando." Inara said as she led the knight to her stone shrine, which was decorated with flowers and trees of many kinds and had creatures of all kinds playing around.

"You have saved The Mother's children." she informed.

"If it makes you and your god happy, I am happy as well." Fernando responded, "I seek to help those who need it. That's why I have traveled the realm for two Springs."

"You are an honorable man, Fernando." Inara said and held his chin, "Thank you." she lifted up her other hand and touched his forehead.

 **000000000**

The knight woke up in the stone shrine, then saw Inara standing in the entrance.

"What... happened?" he groaned, then saw Inara turn to face him.  
"Huh?" he focused his blurry eyes.

"The Mother has granted me a successor." the woman smiled and held a bundle of leaves, "Thank you. Now I have someone to accompany me for the next thousand years." she smiled.

Fernando stood up, "What?" he looked at the bundle of leaves.  
"No." he gasped and then saw what was inside.

"What do you wish to name her?"

"NO!" Fernando yelled and then ran out.

 **000000000**

The knight escaped the woods and then landed in a trail, "Ha... Ha..." he panted and then looked down the road.

A sight he did not want to see.  
The Sun Spirian knights had made a search party and now spotted him, and with them...

All 7 of the women who had his children.

"Dios mio." Fernando stopped, knowing he could never outrun horses.  
"This is the end of the line." he set his lance and shield down, "I will not run anymore. I am a Knight of Sun Spire." he looked at the posse.

The group stopped and all the women dismounted.

"Well well well." Kinessa crossed her arms, "You're in luck, because out here I'm judge, jury, and executioner." she grabbed her rifle.

"You had your chance to be a coward, no its your chance to be a dead man." Skye added as she fixed her wrist launcher.

"Any last words?" Tyra said as she cocked her rifle.

"Behold as the great Evie destroys all the people she hates!" Evie glared at the knight, "Especially you, of course."

"Look, I know you all want to know what is going on, but-" Fernando paused when the bushes in the nearby woods shuffled.

Inara came out.  
"Fernando, why did you flee from us?"

"Oh crap..." Fernando groaned as all the women turned to face her, audible gasps sounding after they analyzed her.

"She is but a day old." Inara said as she held her child, "The seed of the earth and man joined to make her..." she said.

"That's it, you're dead!" Tyra yelled and aimed her assault rifle at his head.

"Wait!" Inara raised her hand, "What is this?" she asked.

"This man is an eight timing bastard." Kinessa responded, "You're not the only one with his kid, lady." she snarled as they all surrounded him.

Inara shook her head, then saw all the children in the hands of the knights.  
"Are those-"

"Yep." Ying sighed and aimed her mirror at Fernando, "How could you play us like this, Fernando?" she asked, anger overcoming her.

Fernando stepped back and gulped.  
"Oh no..."

"Fernando, there is one way you can save yourself." the old knight rode up and looked at him, "I'm pretty sure you will take it..."

 **000000000**

 **000000000**

"And that is how Fernando the Glorious became the Lord of Sun Spire." an old man closed a book and then looked at a group of children.

The library they were in was a cozy one.

"So you're telling me this knight had that many wives?" one kid asked.

"Uh huh." the librarian responded and he stroked his gray beard, "And children too. In fact, I can tell you how they all ended up!" he chuckled and then opened the book again.

"Through Tyra he begot the Hero Twins of the North, who slayed countless monsters for the Chieftan of Stone's Deep.

Through Skye he begot The Shadow Bringer, the most covert assassin in the world and the victim of a terrible clash.

Through Ying he begot the Blossom Princess, who came to co-rule half of the Easter Elven Kingdom.

Through Cassie he begot the Autumn Bowman, whose hunting prowess became known throughout the ream.

Through Kinessa he begot the Deadlock Wrangler, the most feared Bounty Hunter under the Seven Constellations.

Through Maeve he begot the Spectre of Blades, who fought against her half-sister The Shadow Bringer in a battle that was the downfall of Fernando's lineage.

Through Evie he begot the Arch-Sorceress of Frizyl, who slew the Ice Wraith Veruna with her powerful magic and saved the land of Ghust from perpetual freeze.

Through Inara he begot the Tenth Stone Warden of the Forest of Iguadsil, who still guards the Forest to this day."  
The old man cleared his throat and looked up.  
"And that is the tale of our 13th Lord Fernando the Glorious."


End file.
